Tre

Harris

Per Popper, “Johnston has been working consistently with the first-team offense” while rookie WRs Tre Harris and KeAndre Lambert-Smith work through their “acclimation plan,” following time spent on the pre-draft “banquet circuit.” Mike Williams is also expected to "[push] Johnston for playing time on the outside.” We can’t put too much stock in Lal’s “starter” comments for Johnston, as he is effectively competing against himself at this point, but it appears as though he is at least in the No. 2 wide receiver role, rather than being immediately supplanted by Williams, who returned to the team back in March. Johnston could still have mild fantasy relevance if he can secure one of the Nos. 2 or 3 wide receiver roles.

Popper has Tre Harris starting alongside Mike Williams and Ladd McConkey in three-wide sets, bringing up the possibility of moving KeAndre Lambert-Smith on to the field when they “need more speed.” None of this sets up especially well for Johnston, the last first-round pick of the Tom Telesco regime. He improved last year with a 55/711/8 receiving line, but he may be fighting for one of the last spots on the roster this year if everyone makes it through training camp without an injury. Harris getting early buzz as a starter is interesting too, though we expect the Chargers to run plenty of two-wide sets.

A former high school quarterback, Harris (6’2/205) spent three years at Louisiana Tech where he peaked at 935 yards in his third season. Harris then transferred to Ole Miss for another 900-yard season. In his fifth season of college ball, Harris finally hit the century mark, going for 1,030 yards and seven scores on 60 grabs. Playing in just eight games because of a lower body injury, Harris averaged 129 yards per week and posted a historic yards per route run of 5.1. That is easily the highest mark for a receiver at a major conference in the past decade. Harris won as a big-play creator on the boundary, but the bulk of his production came against lower levels of competition. He played four non-conference games, only one of which was against a Power Four opponent. He posted a 38/628/4 line in these contests. Harris was still successful in four SEC games, but cutting a small sample with weak opponents creates loads of risk in his profile. Harris will need to win as a physical, contested-catch artist in the NFL because his 4.54 Forty won’t be enough to blow by professional corners.

Harris (6'2/204) only played in one game last season, catching one pass for 20 yards as BYU took the nation by storm. He only had two receptions for seven yards Week 1, but caught four passes for 72 yards and a touchdown last week against Southern Louisiana. That performance earned him more playing time against SMU and he made the most of it, catching touchdowns of 62 and 11 yards and leading the team in receiving. Harris will try to make it three games in a row with a touchdown reception next week against North Texas.